The New England Patriots reportedly are allowing cornerback Brandon Browner to explore the market. If Browner refuses to restructure his contract, New England may release him before the start of free agency on Tuesday, according to the Boston Herald's Jeff Howe.
The always frugal Patriots reportedly want Browner to restructure his deal and have even granted him permission to test the market to see what he's worth. If New England ultimately decides to save money, the team would likely to cut him before free agency officially starts.
"The Patriots have until (Tuesday) at 4 p.m. to decide on Browner's team option for the 2015 season. However, the Patriots would like to restructure the contract and have allowed Browner to explore his value around the league, according to another team source," Howe wrote Monday. "If the Patriots exercise Browner's option, he would count $4.8 million against the cap, but he would also earn a $2 million roster bonus tomorrow. If they decline the option, they would save $4.8 million against the cap without any dead money because Browner didn't receive a signing bonus last year."
Browner, who missed the first seven games of the season, finished with 25 combined tackles and one interception. New England is likely trying to restructure Browner's deal in order to create more salary cap space to re-sign cornerback Darrelle Revis, who's believed to be the team's top priority.
